Topix Underground

I'm in the process of upgrading all of my existing telescopes with simple, reliable, 2-axis (alt-az) mounts; no electronics, no gps, no wifi.  I made custom walnut handles with quick-release dove-tail fittings that can be attached to the telescopes so they can be manually slewed from side-to-side and up-and-down.  It's artful. I love shit that is well-built and is not over-engineered. My urethane and lacquer were skunked but I found a can of matte finishing wax and used that on the walnut - that is a beautiful look.

My big telescope was one of the first "go-to" telescopes marketed for amateurs. Predictably, the electronics failed. I didn't care. The thing is still a great telescope without the electronics and I only bothered with that a couple of times anyhow. It's more of a hassle than it's worth. I'm not part of the "app" generation.

Also, I ask the "AI" questions and it gives me really long and detailed responses that are incorrect. I can actually tell that it's referencing articles from the internet written by unreliable sources  because I have read them.  I'm not that impressed with AI for the same reason that I'm glad as fck I grew up before calculators, computers, cable tv, video games, cell phones, OSHA  - I actually know how to do shit the long way with or without a "device" and I didn't record every minute of my life for facebook because I don't want to remember huge decades-long chunks of it.